I Forgive Herman Cain, the Only Conservative Left

The American Thinker ^ | 11/4/11 | James Lewis

[EBH]

Judge not, lest ye be judged.

Not a bad rule of thumb.

Being alive means making mistakes. Growing up means understanding that fact, and taking responsibility. Bad actors never take responsibility. Barack Obama honestly believes he's never made a mistake since getting elected; it's one of the few things I think he really means. Honestly.

That's why I kind of like Herman Cain's response to the media thugs. Cain isn't playing their game. I hope he checkmates them, move after move. Never play by their rules. Always set your own rules, or they will kill you. You can see their shotgun victims all over the political landscape.

That's why I magnanimously forgive Herman Cain for whatever his sins might be. I'm not interested, frankly. After Bill Clinton's and John Edwards' abuse of women, I'll forgive any decent man or woman. Got a DUI but went straight? Good on ya, mate. I'll vote for that.

But I will not be voting any time soon for a sociopath with flagrant personality disorders...

...Of course, who am I to forgive anybody? A good question. I will now evade it.

Let me ask you another one: who are the corrupt and dishonest mediots to condemn an honest man and give a free pass to unholy demagogues who are trying to rob you blind?

And yet, the media have arrogated to themselves that higher moral ground.

Do they live up to it? Are they models of good behavior? Gimme a break.

The media abuse their ideological monopoly every single day of the week, and we all know it. You can't go through an airport without being assaulted by CNN. It's a little like being a peasant in North Korea, with the giant loudspeakers trumpeting over the rice paddies 24/7.

[EBH]

Looking at the donations dropping into the Cain coffers, one seems to think many folks are at this point.

I have not contributed to any candidate...yet. While I like Cain and have been cautiously skeptical of the "allegations" against him...and that is what they were..."allegations," even with a settlement behind them.

This aritcle raises a darn good consideration...electing the imperfect human being. We're not electing a god or ruler and surely we're not supposed to elect a savior. Are we to eliminate all those with a "flaw" and then elect the worst candidate left standing?

Are we like pharisees ...casting stones at our own candidates? Will we in the long run shoot ourselves in the foot with a holier than thou attitude and end up with the worst candidate?

I guess in the end we all must search our own hearts and seek the wisdom of the Lord. We are choosing from amongst some very flawed men. From abortion stances to infidelity to out right deceptions of the masses, what is the worst? And who can get up off the ground and go and 'sin' no more?

[.30Carbine]

Are we like pharisees ...casting stones at our own candidates? Will we in the long run shoot ourselves in the foot with a holier than thou attitude and end up with the worst candidate?

There are hordes who would like to see that happen!

[Darkwolf377]

I might forgive him if only I knew what he’s actually done.

[Ron H.]

I might forgive him if only I knew what he’s actually done.

Exactly. What has Cain done that needs forgiveness for?! The writer would have everyone believe that Cain is guilty of something why else would he need forgiving!?

Not even a good try at trying to continue to malign a good man in an underhanded way!

[twhitak]

Granted we don’t have all of the facts, but at this point the only thing I feel I need to forgive him for is not being prepared to respond to the media onslaught.

[30Moves]

Maybe I am politically incorrect but if he made sexual innuendos or inappropriate comments - I’d like to ask - Who Hasn’t? I hear it everyday in workplaces even now - much less 12 years ago. IF he did something wrong I am sure he regrets it and will not repeat it.

And - so what? It was 12 years ago and he isn’t doing it and I certainly know he won’t do it in the Oval Office - like some we know. How about JFK - a notorious womanizer and Catholic I might add.

The media is acting like it was the crime of the century. Doesn’t bother me.

[montag813]

Unless Cain is on VIDEO grabbing someone's boobs and yelling "It's party time, darlin'!" I do not give a damn what happened. 'Sexual Harassment' is a joke. As one blogger put it, it is the 'slip and fall' for the new century. It's well past time to ridicule it, and push back against the radical feminist excesses of the Clinton era. Get the EEOC out of it, and force women to PROVE it outright and in PUBLIC, or be subject to loser pays penalties.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I sent Herman 25 bucks last night, wish I could do more.

The big issue here is that if we cave in it will amount to letting our enemies choose our candidates for us.

They will whittle down the field until we are stuck with a RINO of their choosing.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

It’s time to contribute NOW!

[EBH]

There are hordes who would like to see that happen!

I know and I guess that is what is really bothering me lately, more so than the media circus. The tactic of the left to drum up some "sin" so the conservative base 'won't vote for' whoever because of ....blah, blah, blah.

One needs to consider is the base being played for their holiness? I've seen my fair share of posts right here on FR saying ...well if he did x I won't/can't vote for XXXX. And if this attack on Cain is coming from the right, then they are counting on an unforgiving nature of the base.

In my mind, this makes the person who executed or orchestrated this attack actually holding that quirk alluded to in the article and a far worse candidate.

[petercooper]

What if he’s on video grabbing Lindsey Graham’s boobs?

[samtheman]

I don’t see anybody else to support but Cain. Formerly I supported Perry, but I think he has eliminated himself. I would have supported Palin if she ran, but she didn’t. I half-heartedly like Gingrich but anti-AGW is an extremely important issue for me and Gingrich is on the couch with Pelosi on that one.

So I’m left with Cain, by default.

But I have some questions:

1. Even if the original “harrassment” charges are 100% bogus (and I’m willing to believe that they are) Cain himself surely knew that they were there, in his background, ready to spring up. He remembered them when he ran for Senate and he warned his then-campaign-manager that they could be an issue. But now he’s trying to say that he just didn’t remember? That he didn’t remember if it was one-month severance or maybe 3 months, or possibly 6 months (when it was, in fact a year)? He didn’t forget. How many times in YOUR life have you been formally accused of sexual harassment? It’s not something you forget, no matter how bogus the charges. So why wasn’t he more prepared? Did he really think it wouldn’t come up? Did he really think he could slough it off with half-answers? Did he really think that the conservative-hating media would let him slide? Why didn’t he display some tactical intelligence here, prepare for this issue, and maybe even get it out there in the open, himself, instead of saying back in the spring “there are no skeletons in my closet”? Fair or unfair, bogus or not, did he really think this wouldn’t come up as a “skeleton”?

2. What was all that about accusing the Perry campaign? First of all, accusing them of WHAT? Revealing something that he should have revealed himself? Revealing something that you KNOW with 100% certainty, Obama would find out about and bring out in the open in the general campaign? Even assuming the worst about the Perry campaign, how is it even germane to the issue? Did the Perry campaign CAUSE those sexual harassment charges to be brought in the first place? Isn’t the history of those charges something that SHOULD come out now, well before the general election? Are the Cain people saying that the Perry people owed Cain a coverup on this issue? Are the Cain people saying that a coverup was even remotely possible? And then, it turns out they are now NOT accusing the Perry campaign! One friggin day later! What IS it with the Cain campaign? Are they daft? Are they leaderless? Are they rudderless? What was IN that cigarette in that famous smoking ad?

[iowamark]

Herman Cain is giving us a chance to get it right one more time. I think that's pretty amazing, and he's not running for an easy job, or even a safe job. With Mitt Romney pretending to be a Rorshach blot, Cain is the only one with a real chance who also looks like he can be a great president...

So the Cain Train is leaving the station, right now, carrying our last, best hope to make a difference to this badly abused nation...

I am sure that some Bachmann, Santorum, and Gingrich people honestly believe that their candidate is the best conservative, but the author may be correct.

[samtheman]

if he made sexual innuendos or inappropriate comments - I’d like to ask - Who Hasn’t?

I haven't. I've been in the workplace for decades -- in business and government -- and I never did it once. And I have many, many co-workers who I am quite confident also never did it either.

Yes when I was younger I shared off-color sexual jokes with my peers. But never in a workplace situation in the presence of women. I have ALWAYS respected women in the workplace and almost every man I know was the same way, even those who believed that a woman's place is in the home.

Rudeness towards woman is an anomaly in the workplace, at least in my experience, and not the rule, despite what the hags and witches of NOW would have you believe.

When was the last time YOU were accused of sexual harassment or sexually inappropriate behavior of any kind?

I can answer with absolute certainty for me: never.

Most Americans are CIVIL to one another and to say otherwise is bull sh*t.

[EBH]

To number #1: The glitch to all of your questions is the non-disclosure agreement. He was not at liberty to out himself. Non-disclosures often cover both parties in cases of sexual harassment. Not remembering, actually yes I can see that given the time frame. Not remembering all the minutia. I've dealt with more than a few discrimination cases and no I don't recall every detail years later. Pay-out packages etc. They are dealt with and you move on. HR handles the matter and if it comes up years later you refer to the company as the case is with the company. It is the company that settled, not the accused. It is litigation between lawyers other than maybe giving a statement...it was out of his hands.

#2 Again, there is no cover-up. It is a non-disclosure agreement. He would need agreement with the women to come out as you desire.

[Boardwalk]

I saw we throw it right back at them just like they did to us....”RACISTS!” Only this time, it is true!

[Caipirabob]

Forgive him for what? Alleged BS? I’d forgive him for some rookies blunders, he’s authentic and not scripted, which is what I want instead of a cardboard replica of a human being.

[samtheman]

Non-disclosure does NOT prevent you from saying “I have two settlements in my past regarding allegations of sexual harrassment”.

Does it?

Please just answer that question.

Cain himself briefed his then-campaign manager on the issue back in his Senate campaign. Was that a violation of non-disclosure?

Again, I’m going to repeat the question in the clearest language I can muster:

Does non-disclosure mean that you cannot mention that a case existed and a settlement was reached?

Please answer that question.

And you glossed over #2. WTF exactly WAS the Perry campaign accused of doing and why walk that accusation back exactly one day later?

That is the single most amateurish act of ANY presidential campaign I have EVER witnessed in my life and ever read about in US history.

If you can defend that, then you have stars in your eyes.

(And I am NOT a Perry supporter. I KNOW the Perry campaign is over and I will not vote for him in the primary, no matter what else is going on.)

[Yaelle]

I’ve been saying this for days. We need to just say So? There is no perfect Herman Cain waiting in the wings. It’s imperfect Cain, or Romney. Or obama.

Cain is the only conservative left. I’d rather have a conservative who may have had marital issues in his past, and may not know the most astute way to deal with a scandal, in the WH rather than Romney or Bammy.

That’s the choice we have.

So stop analyzing whether it’s true, and “Just Say ‘So’?”

[MNJohnnie]

Actually done? Being a black Conservative.

Notice the trend here? No fact, no evidence, nothing but rumor, hearsay and accusation. As soon as one accusation is refuted the slime merchants move on to a new anonymous sourced accusations.

An accusation been made, Cain refuted it. The scum behind this attack now need to forced to put up even a single shred of evidence to back up their smears, not just be allowed drop it for the next smear attack.